Category Archives: Heart Health

Although “June” as a name may derive from the Roman goddess Juno, the goddess of marriage and childbirth, it’s decidedly a month for men with both National Men’s Health Week (June 9-15th) and Father’s Day (June 15th) laying claim. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the purpose of Men’s Health Week is “to raise awareness of ways to promote healthy living” and heighten the awareness of preventable health problems while encouraging early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys (1).

Nutritional needs for men change throughout the decades as described in a recent article on Boston.com (2). In this spirit, let’s take a look at how Isagenix products can be used throughout the lifecycle to target decade-specific conditions in optimizing nutrition and improving the health and wellness of men.

Twenties: As men graduate from school or move into the workplace, their twenties are frequently a time of rapid lifestyle changes including greater personal independence. This also usually includes a period of very poor dietary habits. For complete, high-quality nutrition, men in their twenties need good meal replacement and snack options to keep them satisfied. IsaLean® Shakes serve as great meal replacement options rich in muscle-building dairy protein, high in fiber to promote satiety, and full of essential vitamins and minerals needed to ensure optimal energy production. Snacks such as Whey Thins, FiberSnacks!™, and SlimCakes® outperform the vending machine any day by providing the right combinations of protein and fiber rather than empty calories. For when a quick boost of energy is needed, e+ energy shots provide natural caffeine and athletic-enhancing Adaptogens. Finally, and what may be a surprise to many, because some brain functions actually begin declining in a person’s twenties, what better way to provide “nutrition for your brain” than supplementing with Brain Boost and Renewal™,the uniquely-developed product designed to target those biochemical pathways involved in brain aging.

Thirties: Men in their thirties may devote increasing time and energy to their jobs and families, which often result in reduced athletic activities and regular exercise patterns. To ensure maximum energy burning (thermogenesis), take advantage of nutrient-dense IsaLean® Pro shakes, IsaLean® Bars and IsaLean® Soups in place of over consuming fat- and calorie-rich meals. According to extensive research many men in their thirties are likely getting inadequate quantities of vitamins, minerals, and plant bioactives (3,4). A solution is to supplement their diets with Ageless Essential™ Daily Pack with Product B™. To combat the stress and strain of normal life challenges, choose Adaptogen-rich products such ast+ Chai, Cleanse for Life®, and Ionix® Supreme to balance your mind and body.

Forties: By the time 40s come around, men really focus on the potential of overall declining health. To bolster cardiovascular function, IsaOmega Supreme® is a great source of heart-healthy long-chain omega-3 fatty acids such as EPA and DHA. Another important nutrient is vitamin D—with over 90 percent of the American population not getting enough—and is provided in a high concentration in Ageless Actives™ in addition to resveratrol, the anti-aging compound found in red wine and grape skin (3,4). Many men in their 40s are also routinely prescribed statin drugs to reduce risk of heart disease, but this recommendation comes with a price. In fact, it’s long been known that statins significantly reduce levels of coenzyme Q10, the potent antioxidant and energy-producing molecule for all cellular activity. Luckily Ageless Actives is rich in coenzyme Q10, too.

Fifties: The goal for many men in their fifties is hopefully maintaining and continuing the lifelong patterns of good nutrition and regular exercise. Since diet and exercise are the two most important controllable lifestyle factors affecting good health, it’s crucial to choose high quality nutrition. Again, as meal replacements, IsaLean Shakes, Bars, and Soups will provide all the necessary vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, fiber, and carbohydrates without those extra calories associated with obesity and obesity-related health outcomes. Sleep may become a problem in this stage of life as well, and to combat that a melatonin supplement should be used like Sleep Support & Renewal™, to help support the body’s natural circadian rhythm in promoting sleep.

Sixties and beyond: Finally, for men ages 60 and up, the interplay of increasing prescription drugs, less physical activity, and age-related changes frequently result in inadequate nutrient intake, reduced nutritional status, and a significant reduction in muscle mass. This reduction in muscle mass and strength is also paramount in the acceleration of frailty and falls in this population. Preserving your lean body mass requires the one-two punch of adequate protein intake, sufficient vitamins and minerals, and of course, weight-bearing exercise. To ensure great nutrition that maximizes muscle building and fat loss there’s nothing better than IsaLean Pro Shakes and IsaPro® whey protein powder—both high in branched-chain amino acids. The addition of Ageless Essentials Daily Pack with Product B for men can also ensure optimal functioning by filling in any and all nutrient gaps.

Men, take care of your health no matter what decade of life you’re in. Isagenix is here for you every year of the way.

Most health-conscious people know long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are among the best reasons for eating a diet rich in fatty fish including salmon, tuna, mackerel, or sardines. These biologically potent fatty acids contribute to optimal heart, brain, and immune function. Unfortunately, most Americans eat fish rich in these omega-3 fatty acids only sporadically, failing to meet even the 1 to 2 servings per week recommended by dietary and medical organizations.

One question left unanswered by this recommendation, however, is how eating fish rich in omega-3s once or twice a week compares with daily supplementation of omega-3s at increasing circulating and cellular concentrations within the body. Because this question has significant public policy and health implications, researchers from the United Kingdom carried out a 12-month randomized, double-blinded study to evaluate the effects of daily fish oil supplementation versus sporadic supplementation with an identical amount of EPA and DHA that would be consumed by two servings of fish per week.

In the study, researchers divided healthy males and females into one of two groups: the first group consumed 12 capsules per week (either one or two capsules per day) providing 6.54 grams of EPA and DHA combined, and a second group where individuals consumed the same 12 capsules per week providing the same dose of EPA and DHA, but only on two days each week (to mimic what happens when someone eats two oily-rich fish meals per week). So that neither group knew if they were receiving omega-3 supplements daily or only twice a week, the remaining capsules were filled with placebo oil.

To understand how both treatments raised omega-3 fatty acid concentrations over the 12-month study, the researchers measured concentrations in plasma, platelets (cell fragments that stop us from excessive bleeding), and immune cells. The researchers chose these samples deliberately because they provide a good indication of omega-3 fatty acid concentrations over short, medium, and long-term intake, respectively. The results indicated that while both groups had significant increases in cellular concentrations of EPA and DHA, the group that consumed the supplement daily had greater concentrations in their plasma and cells compared to the group that consumed their supplements only two days per week.

According to the authors, “This finding may have implications for the associated health benefits observed in continuous supplementation studies and suggests that the same dose of EPA and DHA achieved through sporadic oily fish consumption may have a lesser impact on EPA and DHA status.”

Take IsaOmega Supreme Daily and Eat More Fatty Fish

So what is the take-home message from this study? One major finding is that even the minority of Americans who consume 1 to 2 servings per week of fish rich in omega-3s incorporate these heart-healthy nutrients into their bodies less than those who take supplements of omega-3s daily. So, while eating more fish is recommended to obtain these fats, as well as other healthy nutrients such as proteins, vitamins, and minerals, it also cannot be ignored that fatty fish can be a major source of environmental toxins that accumulate in our bodies over decades, possibly leading to greater obesity and other metabolic dysfunctions

This is why, in addition to a greater dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids from fish, daily supplementation with IsaOmega Supreme® is an excellent way to significantly increase these fatty acids in the body leading to better brain, immune, and of course, heart health. Beyond the omega-3 fatty acids, IsaOmega Supreme also contains a proprietary blend of other heart-healthy fatty acids from pomegranate, evening primrose, borage seed, and flax seed oils, and, unlike fatty fish, IsaOmega Supreme is rigorously tested and free of toxins such as heavy metals, dioxins, and other environmental pollutants.

Lately, the Isagenix Research and Science team has been evaluating an important and exciting technology to demonstrate the heart-healthy benefits of Isagenix systems. This technology works by measuring what’s known as arterial stiffness—which goes well beyond other tools for assessing heart health because it delves deep within our arteries, providing a more comprehensive assessment.

What Is Arterial Stiffness?

Before we discuss the technology, let’s review the function and structure of arteries. Arteries are blood vessels that act like highways in our bodies, delivering oxygen and vital nutrients to various organs. They are made up of a variety of tissues including connective tissues rich in collagen (think: skin) and elastic tissue (think: muscles). Similar to public roads and highways, arteries will show signs of wear and tear over time.

Beyond aging itself, there are several dietary and lifestyle factors that can cause arteries to increasingly stiffen, lose their flexibility, and even harden. In fact, inflammation and increased blood pressure are the two major determining factors for arterial stiffness. Under these conditions, pressure within the arteries increases resulting in arterial stiffness and poor arterial health. You can think of an artery like a hose. If you run water through a hose as you normally would, the water smoothly flows with just the right pressure. However, when a hose is kinked or you step on it and block the flow, the water builds much higher pressure and can’t flow smooth as it should. Once realeased, that water will forcefully shoot out. The same analogy happens within the artery and the forceful blasting can be equated with damage to cells in the artery wall.

Knowing how revealing arterial health can be for overall heart health status, researchers have invented a new technology that allows scientists to obtain a precise map of arterial pressures in the body. It’s this technology that has Isagenix scientists excited, too—because it offers a way for us to show how well Isagenix products are at protecting blood vessels against the ravages of aging.

Dietary and Lifestyle Factors can Improve Your Arterial Health

Many Isagenix products are rich in nutrients scientifically demonstrated to reduce arterial stiffness. For example, weight reduction alone can improve arterial health (1). Combining weight loss with increased consumption of dairy proteins (such as whey protein) is shown to produce even greater improvements in heart health (2,3). Relatedly, in a just-published study by researchers from Florida State University, obese women who combined exercise with a diet rich in milk proteins significantly reduced arterial stiffness compared to those who consumed carbohydrates in place of protein (4). Other heart-health promoting nutrients associated with improvements in arterial stiffness include vitamin D (5,6), long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (7,8), coenzyme Q10 (9), and polyphenols abundant in fruits and vegetables (10).

Indeed, Isagenix provides you with the tools needed to support your arteries. Get optimal amounts of dairy proteins from IsaLean Shakes and Soups, use adaptogen-rich Ionix Supreme for maximal stress management, perform Cleanse Days once or twice a week or biweekly using Cleanse For Life, and finally, supplement daily with Ageless Essentials Daily Pack—-your complete healthy aging solution—that provides the body with optimal dosages daily of heart-healthy essential vitamins including vitamin D and K2, minerals, bioactives such as CoQ, and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.

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